Beware of false prophets,which come to
you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are
ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Do men gather grapes of thorns? Even so every
good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a
corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. a good
tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can
a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every
tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is sewn
down, and cast into the fire. Where by their
fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:15-20
A problem that has almost existed within Christendom from its inception is that of making sets of rules. There are rules of course that God has given to us in His word, yet, man seems to have an infinity for rules and makes rules to fit their ideologies, or theologies that are not Scriptural. Oh, they do use sometimes "proof" Scripture to give warrant for these man made rules but all they are not truth found in God's commands and precepts. The Inquisition is such a thing as man made rules using "proof" Scripture to give warrant for many atrocities. Religious intolerance became the way to control people and this by man made rules. Authentic Christians have rules, they are found in the Bible using Scripture to give them warrant for such rules. First, and foremost it is not a set of rules that govern the faith and action of men, it is the internal principle that has authentic Biblical principles that govern the faith and exercise of that faith. Man made rules seem good at the beginning and are seen in the external function of faith, a faith that has as it set of rules the foundation of the world's culture, or has liberal thinking, almost Universalism belief. It is true that Authentic Christians have external manifestation of God's rules and these rules are formed into a habit of the mind and heart. Man made rules although seemingly good at the beginning in time without the internalizing of Authentic Christian Faith will make those man made rules to become the superstructure of faith. So often these superstructures will fail, man made faith will not last, especially when and if they are examined in the light of true authentic Scripture understanding. It is not hard to achieve this true understanding of Scripture if a person will take the time to "test all things,..." and this test is using Scripture to interpret Scripture.
Christianity is a matter of internal belief but this is not all that Christianity is as it is also an external manifestation of faith. Our conduct must conform to Scripture and not man made doctrines or theology. Authentic Christians have a transformation in their belief system so that they live accordingly to the truth of Scripture. You cannot have true exercise of faith without true internalization of God's truth. Authentic Christian Faith has the accompaniment of both internal faith and external conduct.
Men are known by their fruit as the opening Scripture testifies. If the fruit you are seeing as "good" fruit is based on false teaching then then you are not using Scripture correctly. Our fruit is first in our lives, that we are living according to Scripture and not by the number of person saved, or coming to Church. The outgrowth of our internalized faith, that Authentic Christian Faith will have fruit that is good because that fruit has as it base the truth of God and not of this world as with cultural Christians or false teachers. External actions are the reflections of the heart for as the mouth speaks so go the exercise of faith (Matthew 12:34). Here is a major difference between cultural or liberal Christians: Cultural Christians are primarily concerned with the external and Authentic Christians are concerned with the internals. Cultural concerns about faith are not what Jesus Christ desires. Jesus Christ came to save man and man who repents and believes upon Jesus Christ as their personal Savior deny themselves to become conform any longer to this world and become conformed into the image of Jesus Christ. No man can give this to you, you must come to Jesus yourself on the terms that He outlined for you to come to Him and be saved.
If you have not done this, that is, to fall upon your knees repentant for your sins against a Holy God, and believe upon the One He sent to this world to bring repentance to all who believe: DO IT NOW! DO NOT WAIT! CHANGE FROM THE INSIDE/OUT! Pray for repentance, not because you are caught, rather because you have come to know that God exists, that God has come to save, and not due to anything you have brought to Him outside of repentance but because He loves.WILL YOU?
I will freely sacrifice unto thee:
I will praise Thy name, O LORD;
for it is good. For He hath delivered
me out of all trouble: and mine eye
hath seen His desire upon mine enemies.
Psalm 54:6-7
May the truth of God bring you to repentance
Richard L. Crumb
No comments:
Post a Comment